How Gamers Are Exploiting Xbox One Digital Downloads

Since the launch of Xbox One, gamers have noticed a workaround that allows two friends to share each others paid content. This means only 1 of you need buy a game off the Game Store and it can be accessed and played from each others Xbox One console. You’re probably not seeing the wrong doing in that unless you actually take a read of the Xbox LIVE Terms of Use!

How “Friends” are obtaining each others content:

1 – Get your friends Xbox LIVE details and log into this account on your own Xbox One
2 – Go to settings, My Home Xbox and set your friends gamertag as the Home Xbox
3 – Your friend must do the same with your own account on their Xbox One

Now you should be able to access and download all content from each others Xbox LIVE Accounts, but the Home Xbox feature was only in place to enable family and friends to play your games on the Xbox Home console even when they’re signed in with their own profiles.

Currently there are not any reports of Account bans, but since sharing your account password and obtaining content that is infringing IP rights (basically playing a game you did not buy the license to use the software yourself covers this) is against the Xbox LIVE Terms of Use – it is only a matter of time before a huge Microsoft enforced Ban-Hammer drops in your direction!

Sharing games also constitutes online fraudulent activity which is against the Xbox LIVE Code of Conduct – this stipulates that you can not play any illegitimately obtained software, nor lend, transfer, sell, or otherwise provide access to your account.

If you know someone who is doing the above mentioned procedure, or you are doing this yourself with a friend…

Founder of ThisisXbox.com (owner from 2010 - 2014), now writer and reviewer with an interest in writing thriller fiction. Two addictions; Diet Coke and Call of Duty. All views expressed everywhere are my own and not that of my employer!

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stop with the nonsense reporting of banning and theft. The license is still the same mechanism as the 360. I have 2 xbox 360s in my house and I’ll put / split license A and B on my 2 machines if I want. I paid for both of the licenses. I’ll do the same with my 2 xbox 1s as well if I want. Stop saying it’s theft. It’s bloody not in that scenario.

If you read the above scenario as it is intended, it is theft. 2 different Xbox One’s in two different locations. Xbox One’s owned by separate people who are account swapping in a sense to obtain each other’s downloads on each of the consoles.

Account sharing is a violation of the Xbox LIVE Terms of use and Code of Conduct.

In your scenerio it is not theft, you own both consoles, they are all under the same roof and played on by the same people.

Mike

So what about people deployed and want to have the content on both their home and xbox and the one they have with them deployed…I own both Xbox Ones…and if i could be under the same roof i would…so what your telling me because im deployed im not entitled to share one gold account and content licenses? Forget about that.

Lewis Brown

My friend came over, logged into my Xbox using his account, and we downloaded and played Madden together. He left, but Madden was still installed. Is it illegal for me to be playing this game on my Xbox? I don’t want to be a criminal, I’ll delete it if it’s bad.

Brian Russell

Be a man. They’re not going to get you for a game or two. People who abuse this and share their details with say… 10 people will be banned. Sharing with one or MAXIMUM 2 people… You’ll be fine.

xero

This is bull, it’s been available since the 360, and it’s actually a tutorial on their site

Jason of Duty

You are wrong… #endof

Eric

No, he’s not wrong. All digital copies come with TWO digital licences, whereas physical copies only come with one. Hence, exactly why even 2 years after this article the prediction of banhammer has still not been implemented. Seriously, get a clue.

William Kemlo

Your wrong in parts. Have you even contacted Microsoft about this? I have contacted Microsoft on 3 occasions, and they have told me the same thing, that it is fine to access games owned by one account on two separate console (by two different persons) at the same time, on condition its not the same game played on both Xbox Ones at one time.

They even explain how to do it.

William Kemlo

Totally correct. You can even phone Microsoft, and they will explain step by step how to do this, as well as sharing on the Xbox one. People really need to do there home work before jumping on the band wagon… and clearly don’t believe stupid under researched articles like this.

tommyt

is this 100% real and still allowed? I really want to borrow a game of my friend but I don’t want to risk a ban

tommyt

If I did this, say logged into my friends account on MY xbox and made it their home xb. then downloaded far cry primal to my xb. then logged out, made it my home xb again, would I then be able to just keep primal for as long as they didn’t download the game again on THEIR home xb?